Through Insulating Region for Semiconductor Contact Plug Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing demand for high-performance and high-speed electronic devices has led to a higher degree of integration in semiconductor devices, making it more challenging to prevent defects during the manufacturing process due to miniaturization of patterns.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor device design featuring a peripheral circuit region on a first substrate with contact plugs extending vertically, a memory cell region on a second substrate, and a through insulating region that penetrates through the second substrate to electrically isolate the contact plugs from the second substrate, along with a manufacturing method involving the formation of circuit devices, contact plugs, sacrificial layers, and interlayer insulating layers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If patterns are miniaturized to increase degree of integration, then device functionality and integration are improved, but manufacturing precision and defect prevention become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
A through insulating region is introduced as an intermediary structure between the contact plug and the memory cell region. This through insulating region penetrates the second substrate and provides electrical isolation, preventing defects such as short circuits while maintaining the miniaturized integrated structure. The intermediary structure resolves the conflict between high integration and manufacturing precision by adding a dedicated isolation element.
2Reliability
If contact plugs extend vertically through insulating layers to connect substrates, then electrical connectivity is improved, but electrical isolation from adjacent structures becomes challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The insulating structure is segmented into two distinct parts: a peripheral region insulating layer that provides general isolation, and a through insulating region that penetrates the second substrate to provide focused electrical isolation around the contact plug. This segmentation allows the contact plug to maintain vertical electrical connectivity while the through insulating region specifically prevents electrical interference with adjacent memory cell structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The through insulating region acts as an intermediary barrier between the conductive contact plug and the memory cell region. By penetrating the second substrate, it creates an electrical isolation zone that prevents harmful electrical interference while allowing the contact plug to fulfill its connectivity function.
3Reliability
If through insulating region penetrates second substrate to isolate contact plug, then electrical isolation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The through insulating region serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides electrical isolation for the contact plug, penetrates the second substrate to reach the peripheral region insulating layer, and prevents short circuits between different structural levels. By combining multiple isolation and protection functions into a single through insulating structure, the design achieves improved electrical isolation without proportionally increasing device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor device comprises a peripheral circuit region provided on a first substrate and including circuit devices and a contact plug extending on the first substrate in a vertical direction; a memory cell region provided on a second substrate disposed above the first substrate and including memory cells; and a through insulating region penetrating through the second substrate on the contact plug and covering an upper surface of the contact plug.